Despite many steps forward, a lot of work still has to be done. A lot of work is needed to change attitudes and to make the attitudes positive. For example, people often don’t know how to help a person with disabilities, and sometimes, with additional care, they even make them feel awkward. I understand that you may never have to live with a person with disabilities and don’t know their needs in detail, but if that’s the case, it’s better to wait and if necessary, the person will ask for help themselves.

We went through a very hard process to include access to sexual and reproductive health in the 2014-2016 governmental human rights action plan. It turned out that they didn’t even consider that disabled women would need those services. I remember clearly that when, on one of the working meetings, I voiced my opinion on this issue, nobody supported or even opposed me – they were completely oblivious to what I was talking about and how were reproductive and sexual issues relevant to disabled women. I had to expend a lot of effort to explain why this had to be added to the action plan. In addition, we had to voice our concern multiple times about how the government screening program isn’t accessible to disabled women. Women using wheelchairs are in a higher risk group of cervical cancer and the government’s response shouldn’t be that it’s possible for disabled women to take a pap smear in the regular gynecological examination chair. I’m convinced that if disabled women were present in the Tbilisi City Hall council for disabled people, this issue would be resolved and the government would buy at least one gynecological chair.

The post Tamar Matcharashvili, 56 years old, Tbilisi appeared first on WomenOfGeorgia.

I was in the 11th grade when I participated in the FLEX program, this was my second attempt. When I was in the last round and I already thought that I was going to the USA, I got rejected. It was very painful for me and, even today, when I talk about FLEX and my unfulfilled American dream, it’s very difficult, but this story changed my future – I no longer fear failure and if something interesting appears, I always try my luck. Therefore, I also got interested in social media and web programming training. I also had previous experience with the Innovative Education Foundation and I was sure that would be a huge source of experience for me.

Before I left for Lisbon, I saw that Google was launching a project for developer students across Europe to promote “Google Developers’’ Products and introduce new technologies to students. Those who already have some knowledge in this field will be able to learn more, while those who don’t – will get a better chance to make a choice for the technology field. Even though it seemed unrealistic to me, I went through the interview and I was chosen. Within this project, I was in Paris, at the European Summit of the Student Club of Developers, and that’s where I finally decided that I should be a woman in technology. When the project was over, I decided that Kutatisi needed ”GDG Kutaisi” – the Google developers’ team, and I created it. We have only managed a few events. I was planning to conduct a technology festival in Kutaisi, I submitted this project at the university, I also wrote to Google, I solved all the organizational issues, but due to the pandemic, we had to stop. When all of this is over, I’ll definitely do it. Google later started the mentors’ project and I was chosen as a mentor to help new leaders.

I believe that I feel most comfortable in the programming field and I’m going to enroll in the Institute of Business and Technology. They say that programming doesn’t require a diploma, but I want to go through all the stages. I already know how being a student should feel like; in addition to the knowledge I want to gain, I also want to take advantage of all the benefits of being a student – participate in different projects or in researches.

I’m now in my fourth year at the university, I work here in student services, plan and implement projects, offer ideas, etc. In the future, I also plan to start a business, but only after I return to Akhaltsikhe. During school, I was heartbroken that in Akhaltsikhe there wasn’t any school similar to ”Komarov”, which specialized in physics-mathematics and computer science. So, I really want such a school to be here – there are many children in Akhaltsikhe who are good at math and we really need it. I’m planning to start a business in my village – more and more people are leaving and I want to lend a hand to people to have jobs. In general, I plan to live in the village, but I also have plans for the city: I want to be a part of improving the educational field – maybe I can’t create a new one, but I know what I’d implement. After returning to my region, I’ll work as a programmer but only as a freelancer. I want to create free programming learning groups in Akhaltsikhe. I especially want to help women because stereotypes await women everywhere and in the regions – even more. I know it requires a lot of work, but nothing is immutable.’’

The post Tamta Kapanadze, 20 years old, village Tkemlana, Akhaltsikhe Municipality appeared first on WomenOfGeorgia.

‘’I live in the village Gurianta with my husband and three children. I got married very young when I was 18, but I was lucky to have a great family. During the first 7-8 years, I was sitting at home and raised my children, but when they grew up, I wanted to have my own job and be busy with my own business. I learned to sew from my mother, sat in front of the sewing machine and it turned out that I was really good at it. In two-three months, I had already opened my atelier and now I joke that I first opened an atelier and only later learned to sew – I was still learning. I opened an atelier in Ozurgeti and choose to produce childrens’ clothes. Sewing covers many areas and I wanted to be a professional in one particular area. I still only sew children’s clothes and it works very well. In this process, I met one girl, Ana Maslova, who sent me the registration link to a social media and programming training and told me, maybe it could be interesting for me or helpful for my business. I’m very grateful to her because I would never be able to find this information by myself – I was sitting day and night by the sewing machine, cutting, and sewing. I filled out the registration form, sent it and I was rejected. Of course, I felt sad, but I thought it wasn’t my destiny. In a few days, the project trainer, Khatuna Rusishvili, called me and told me that one of the participants couldn’t attend and as it turned out, I was in the reserve group and if I would still like, I could join them. I was cutting a dress and, out of the joy, I dropped the scissors and I said – of course, I’d love to come! I talked to my husband and he always has such an attitude that “if you want to do something, do it, I’ll be by your side’’.

I had to attend training for four months, including in Tbilisi. I temporarily set my scissors aside and started the new job. If I do something, I always put my whole heart into it, and here too, I was involved with all my strength and motivation. During that period I had taken some orders and my mother helped me – she put the patterns and my girls from the atelier were sewing. The children were left with my husband and father-in-law. My computer was broken and my husband brought me a new one, handed it over to me, and he himself took care of the children. Then, when I came from the atelier and sat down to study, he would tell the children not to disturb me.

The learning process was very interesting. I wanted to study all the time. Before that, I didn’t even know how to create a Facebook page; I had a personal account, which I used for a business page as well. First of all, the best thing I did for my business was to make a page – I learned to advertise, set up the answering machine for questions, learned how to adjust settings, and so on. At first, I was a little scared of how I would do it, but I did it, I started and didn’t get up until four in the morning, I sat at the computer, and in the morning I already had my business page. Ozurgeti had a really amazing team, the girls helped each other, we didn’t sleep at night, and we were always online on our chat. We also found and did things that we hadn’t learned.

After the training, miracles start to happen – we knew that after the training, we had to get certificates, and they gave us an opportunity for an internship as well. I was among the forty best participants who did an internship in very successful companies. I got an internship at Lingwing, which is a very innovative and promising company with an amazing team. I did an internship in the field of social media. When the internship was over, I thanked them and said that I felt really sorry to say goodbye. ”You don’t have to say goodbye, stay with us!” – They said. I couldn’t imagine this would happen, usually, companies prefer to have an employee on-site, but for more than a year now, I’ve been working here.

After the internship, we were told that top three participants would go to a web summit in Lisbon. It was the largest technology summit attended by IT representatives from different companies from all over the world. I got into these top three and I achieved this on my own, my hard work was appreciated. We spent amazing eight days in Lisbon, we visited lots of great places – we saw the technology museum, the latest inventions… we traveled to every part of the city. We used every opportunity that could be used, we gained connections, knowledge. I also attended the workshop by Anna Vainer – ‘’I am remarkable’’. I liked this workshop so much that when I came back, I went through the online training and became a facilitator. When I came from Lisbon, I helped a lot of people. This is the coolest thing – when you learn something and then share, help, and teach others, it makes you happy. All this made me grow, I started in technologies from scratch, and today I already know a lot and I have to learn so much more… This is an inexhaustible topic. Since I did my business page, my income has tripled; before that, I took orders only in Ozurgeti, but now I already get orders from many different regions.

I haven’t felt stereotypical attitudes from anyone, but I heard something like this – one of the very talented girls wasn’t able to attend the training because her husband didn’t let her. when remembering this, it breaks my heart. Once another participant drove her home and she didn’t let him drop off in front of her home to avoid making her husband jealous. Finally, he made her quit training and I always think that maybe that girl could have done more than me and others and she couldn’t use her talent.

At some time, I had a complex because I didn’t graduate from university and I didn’t have a diploma. Then I realized that this paper means nothing. The most important thing is to always want to develop yourself. When you find yourself in a field that you couldn’t even imagine before, there’s such happiness. I advise girls not to give up; if they don’t succeed, they should try one more time. If they think that this is what they need and want, they should do everything to achieve that goal.’’

Author: Nino Gamisonia

Photo: Rezo Kvachadze / Geda Darchia

Translation: Mariam Kajrishvili

‘’Ia Tavdishvili was one of the 124 participants in the women’s web development and social media marketing training program in 2019. The training program was part of the UN Women project “A Joint Action for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Georgia” funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. The views expressed in the story are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of UN Women, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, United Nations or any of its affiliated organizations.”

The post Ia Tavdishvili, 31 years old, village Gurianta, Ozurgeti municipality appeared first on WomenOfGeorgia.

Contact with my mother stopped during the war in Abkhazia. I heard the news about the horror that was happening in Abkhazia, villages were being bombed. During this time telephone lines were also damaged and I didn’t know if they were alive or dead. A few months later after the fall of Sokhumi, I was called to the director’s office and given the telephone. I heard my mother’s voice – honey, I’m alive and in peace – I was born a second time. My mother moved to Tbilisi and barely survived the hard times of the 90s. So, I stayed in Senaki again and we kept remote correspondence.

I have my small room in Dusheti boarding house and I live here with my little cat. In addition to the pension, which is 250 GEL, I also have a small income from my job. I’ve been thinking about returning to my mother, but given my financial situation and the services I need, I think that living in a boarding house will be much easier. Most of all I don’t want to be a burden for someone and force someone to take care of me. And as for the people who help me in the boarding house, it’s their job. So, it makes me more comfortable and less awkward when I use their services.

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After the training, the UN Women announced a competition for graduates to attend the Lisbon Web Summit. The selection process coincided with a tragedy in my family – I lost my father and I felt so bad that I don’t even remember what I said at the interview. Later, I was called and informed that I was going to Lisbon. I was so happy because I knew it would be an opportunity for me to have a closer look at modern technological advances.

I already do this voluntarily. I already planned many projects and social media strategies for many start-ups. Women need motivation and support and also, many role models. Therefore, I consider it my personal responsibility to help and encourage them to take independent steps in the future.

The post Tamar Oniani, 25 years old, Nagomari, Guria appeared first on WomenOfGeorgia.

Sopiko:

The school years were the hardest for both of us. I was involved in my daughter’s development, my husband and parents also stood by me. In the process of raising and developing Tamuna, everyone at home was equally involved – my mother taught her foreign and Georgian languages, my father – physics. However, at some point, everyone got tired, couldn’t see the perspective, and didn’t believe in further development. I continued to work with Tamuna alone, not losing faith. My husband thought that I was delusional and overly optimistic about Tamuna’s development. In fact, Tamuna had potential from school age, and that potential needed to be developed.

Tamuna received her pre-school education in a specialized kindergarten in Tbilisi. After the assessment, I was told that she would even be able to directly go to the second grade of normal school. At that time inclusive education was introduced in several schools and Tamuna was transferred to the 6th German Gymnasium. It was difficult for us to drive her there – we lived in Temka and we had to go to Vera every day. However, inclusive teaching turned out to be a facade – inclusion only meant the fact that children with special needs sat in the classroom with typically developed children. They didn’t know the methodology that would make it easier for Tamuna to understand the difficult program. She didn’t have a special teacher and caring for her development still fell on me. I continued working with Tamuna again and did the work that’s usually the state’s responsibility. This obligation is also defined by law. In search of a full-fledged inclusive education, we switched four schools. Recently I even tried a paid school.

For me, it was very hard to face the stigma, on one hand from the school administration and on the other – from the parents. I remember once the director of the private school called me and asked me strictly to take Tamuna’s documents and transfer her to another school because the parents protested Tamuna learning alongside their children as if Tamuna was hindering the development of their children. It was very insulting to me, but I couldn’t fight against the director’s power and I had to find another school again.

Sopiko:

As it turned out, we were finally lucky enough to meet professional people. Tamuna’s dance teacher, Ana, has acquired knowledge about inclusive education in Germany. With her help, Tamuna found her own interest and vision for the future. This is also Tamuna’s merit – she is a person who is a constant search.

Unfortunately, the state lacks a unified vision. Inclusive education is only written on paper and in fact, neither schools nor vocational schools have knowledge about the inclusive approach. They treat everyone equally and don’t consider the special needs and interests of the individuals.

Unfortunately, the state doesn’t notice mothers like me either. When you have a child with a disability, family, and profession, like in my case, you are constantly forced to make a choice – either you have to completely refuse your personal life and raise a child, or your child has to miss out on something because the system doesn’t guarantee such children further development. Because all I thought about was Tamuna, I had problems with my other children. Life would be much easier if I had an assistant. In western countries, parents of children with disabilities receive a monthly guardian’s salary – the amount is used to either hire a professional assistant or is paid as a salary to the family member who works with a child. This is a great benefit for the family and the individual work with the child is also much more productive. Until the age of 5, the therapies were free, after that it becomes the parent’s responsibility to take care of the development and it took a lot of time from me. As a result, I was always forced to make a choice.

It’s also important to introduce parent’s education systematically. In most cases, parents inadvertently hurt their children themselves because they don’t know how to deal with a particular problem. I personally, because of my lack of knowledge, delayed Tamuna’s therapeutic intervention. I couldn’t recognize the dangers and symptoms from the beginning. Therefore, a parent needs help from the very first months of parenthood – what to do, which way is better, how to behave.

Employment of people with disabilities is also part of the systemic problem – when the state doesn’t take care of the child’s proper development from the very beginning, in adulthood these people have difficulty socializing and developing skills. In addition, there is an ingrained stigma in society that people with disabilities can’t do anything independently. For society, such people are outsiders; for them, they are a deadweight and not a resource. However, the state can use this resource, so that people like Tamuna aren’t constantly fed with a pension, but have their own, fair income.“

The post Tamar Naveriani, 26 years old, Mestia/Tbilisi Sopiko Lobzhanidze, 58 years old, mother appeared first on WomenOfGeorgia.

The first two years were very difficult for me. I didn’t want to see or talk to anyone, I didn’t go out at all and I only let my mother in my room. My mother would come to my room and I would lie in bed. Our neighborhood priest, Father Shio, said that he would come to me. The first time he came, I didn’t let him in. He came the second and third time and slowly, he achieved so much, that I began wanting to attend church liturgies. For some reason, that environment had a great influence on me and I returned home calm. Later I found out that in our region there was a charity named ‘’Guria’’, which had a day center and it was the only adapted environment where I could move without restrictions. I joined this association. At first, I had a hard time communicating with people. I was a newcomer from home, but they met me warmly, accepted me to their pleasant environment. Every day they’d send a car for me, I would go there and it was like I had a job every day – I had to go somewhere. Then I discovered different talents in myself. It turns out that I have to sing, I have to draw, I have to do anything I can. Every day wasn’t as monotonous as before when I was lying in bed the whole day. I would get up in the morning, take care of myself and get out of the house, I learned something new every day and I accepted joy and faith back into my life. After that, I started living, slowly, step by step, until today.

Now I work as a volunteer teacher at the day center. I always wanted to be a teacher, I loved children. I’ve been in this organization for 10 years and for the last two years I’ve dared to volunteer as a teacher with children. These are children in wheelchairs or children with Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, and so on. I help them improve their everyday skills. At the same time, I’m an operator in the EU project – ‘’Social Free Taxi’’. This is a free taxi that serves people with disabilities and those who are on dialysis. The program will last six months and when it’s over I want to convince our mayor that this is a very important and necessary project and to reserve the budget for it to continue.

When I return home, there are no sidewalks on the road. Sometimes the police walk up to me and tell me to get out of the road, or asks me why I walk alone. Maybe I want to walk alone and I don’t want to be with someone.

I often go to church, but I can’t go inside. Once, the priest told me that he would ask deacons to take me in their hands and bring me to the church. I don’t want that. I want to enter when I want, to pray alone and light a candle. I couldn’t achieve that. It just hurts me; the church should be more eager to make this environment accessible. But so far this is not happening for us. Probably because not a lot of people like me are bringing this issue into the light.

One of the problems is that if you go to the doctor and if someone is there with you, they push you aside and talk to that person about you. I had eye problems and went to the doctor with a friend of mine. The doctor completely ignored me, just told me that I needed surgery. Then she talked to my friend if I had parents and so on. I was so angry about it and expressed such a protest that I left the place immediately and never returned.

The post Tamuna Lursmanashvili, 39 years old, Ozurgeti appeared first on WomenOfGeorgia.

It’s very important for me that young women living in the mountains don’t only do so-called ‘’female professions’’, but to try their luck in other professions as well. When the enrolling period begins, I go door-to-door and convince women that they have a right and an opportunity to work in ”male professions”. Such jobs are in demand and highly paid and women must master these fields. I’m glad to have one woman in the electrical mechanic’s group, and she has already been employed with our help by a local company. I myself have gone through a lot of struggle and I want to make it easier for the women who are coming after me, to avoid them the same hardship.

The post Irma Japaridze, 50 years old, Mestia appeared first on WomenOfGeorgia.

I met Giorgi in Tbilisi, at a party. He was born and raised in Svaneti, he was a successful athlete and a champion multiple times. I was 19 years old when we got married. I had only seen the Svan tower in the Ethnographic Museum before. I didn’t know where I was going but the truth is I didn’t care. We had a great relationship based on love and mutual respect. So, I was ready to move anywhere with him. However, In the first months, we lived in Tbilisi in a rented flat, so that I could cook after my studies and work.

When I was pregnant on my first child, we went to Mestia for vacation. I had to take a leave in the university due to pregnancy and I also took maternity leave from work. I found out, there was a reorganization in the bank in Mestia and I decided that I had to try my luck – a completely insane idea. In fact, on day one my life was completely changed. On the same day as the interview, I was invited to a two-week internship, I also passed training in Tbilisi and was leading the cashier’s office of one of the bank branches in Mestia. Giorgi helped me a lot and he was proud of me that I worked and studied at the same time. I was a very sociable and fun person. Adhering to the entire dress code and etiquette, I addressed clients with ‘’Mrs. And Mr.’’ I was told once, that nobody addressed them like that before. There were long lines and they wanted to get the service from me. Therefore, my attitude played a huge role and everybody loved me there. Everyone here knew and loved Giorgi, moreover, he was very handsome and people couldn’t imagine who could be with him. I remember even telling him, that soon he would be presented as Elene’s husband. Once, he was in one village and they introduced him exactly like that – you’re the husband of our Eleniko.

This is how I and Svaneti started to get closer.

After Mariam’s birth, I returned to Tbilisi to continue my studies. I also worked in night shifts. At this time, I found out that I was pregnant with my second child. It was very difficult for me, but Giorgi encouraged me a lot and stood by my side. Giorgi shattered stereotypical notions about Svanian men, he was very supportive and told me I could give up everything if I felt I was tired.
When Taso was born, we wanted to baptize her in Svaneti. It was June 24th, we flew from Tbilisi, this was my first flight. I thought I was the happiest person – I overcame the health problems caused by complicated childbirth and now my whole family would be together, resting in Svaneti. I was so calm and felt so good that day, I didn’t even think anything could disturb this feeling of happiness. In the evening, Giorgi went to see his friends. Despite the car crash not being that serious, out of 6 passengers, only Giorgi died. He was 24 years old.

I died with him and then I raised up again. In the beginning, there were months, where I didn’t sleep at all. I had so many emotions, that I felt incredible loneliness and emptiness. I felt his death too and I woke up as another person. A person is always alone with her feelings. Sometimes you can’t express in words, nor does talking with other people help, when literally your soul hurts. I overcame this. On the 24th of June, 8 years have passed and I didn’t live a single day without Giorgi. I still feel like he is with me. This feeling left me in Svaneti.

For my studies, I returned to Tbilisi for 2 years. I left my kids with Giorgi’s parents and came to see them once every month. I put the whole of my energy and pain in my studies and work and it helped me a lot to go through it.
In 2014, after finishing my master’s degree, I returned to Svaneti and I’ve been here since then. Shortly, after my return, I was taken to the Mestia Municipality as the mayor’s assistant. I was very active in youth affairs, which turned out well. Suddenly, I was promoted as Head of Sports and Youth Affairs department. After Giorgi was gone, I lost all my energy and joy and was brought back with the help of my children and the youth of Svaneti.

Nowadays, I’m in almost every project that is being implemented in Svaneti. I’m the coordinator of the local action group in the EU program. Also, with the support of the US Embassy, I’ve been teaching English to socially vulnerable young people and students of Vocational college for 4 years now. At the same time, I’m working on my doctoral thesis – the concept of development of mountainous regions based on the example of Upper Svaneti.

I’m a very active citizen and most importantly – I’m deeply in love with Svaneti.‘’

Author: Maiko Chitaia
Photo: Geda Darchia
Translation: Mariam Kajrishvili

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